after the final battle
by pamy
Summary: The final battle against Voldemort is over, and people start to mourn. Follows Deadly Hallows mostly, only Lupin, Tonks and Peter are still alive. Please r
1. Father of a murdered son

**Chapter 1: Father of a murdered son**

They say there's no greater love then a mother's love. They say that there is no greater bound than a mother's bound with her child. They say that you can choose your friends and not your family. There are many things people say, some may be true others may be lies. Since tonight I am extremely sure of one thing. There is no greater danger then the father of a murdered son.

Harry ran trough the castle. All around him people, students, professors, order members, were still fighting with death eaters. Even though Voldemort had been destroyed not even 10 minutes ago. He still couldn't believe that it had been so easy. And now he is running trough the building, looking for Ron and Hermoini, looking for all of his friends, anybody of the weasly family, Lupin, anybody at all.

A red light stroke past him. He turned aroun only to see Yaxly trying to stun him. Before he had time to move or raise his wand, Yaxly was already flying in the air. Harry looked up to see Luna smiling at him. Before he could say anything Luna ran of, probably looking for her friends. He started to run to, still looking for ron or Hermoini.

The sound of somebody screaming a spell made him stop. He knew that voice. Wormtail. The men responsable for his parent's dead. He started to run towards the voice. When he arrived he saw Lupin fighting Peter. Peter raised his wand and started the avada kedavra curse. He did the only thing he could think of. He raised his wand and screamed 'PROTEGO' at the same time that Lupin screamed 'EXPELIARMUS'. Peter spell missed, Lupin flew back and Peter's wand flew out of his hand.

Harry ran to Lupin and saw Peter picking up his wand. He saw him hesitate for a second then run away. He ducked beside Lupin. 'Lupin?Remus?Moony?' Lupin reacted on the last name. 'Harry.' 'You ok?' Lupin breated heavely, but appart from that he seemed alright. 'Tonks?' 'I don't know where she is. Sorry.' He helped Lupin on his feet when a sudden bump made them both fall.

'HAGGER!' Out of nowhere Grawp had appeared. His eyes looking trough a window. Harry held up his hand, as if trying to calm down Grawp. 'I don't know where Hagrid is, Grawp, sorry.' As he said that a sudden fear came over him. What if something had happened to Hagrid. What if...Lupin put a hand on his shoulder, probably realising what was going trough his head.

Suddenly he felt Lupin get up beside him. He looked up and saw Lupin ran towards a woman, who now had purple hair. 'Tonks!' Harry smiled as he saw them hug. He stood up and walked towards them, when out of nowhere Luna appeared. 'Harry!Harry!' Lupin let go of Tonks and turned around. 'Luna what?' 'Neville!' She turned around and started to run. Harry, feeling a sudden fear overpower him, ran after her. He heard Lupin and Tonks coming after him, but he didn't turn around.

He only stopped when he suddenly felt cold overpower him. He looked at Neville, who was sitting in the middle of a group of dementors. His first thought was to count the dementors, but as he started he realised inmediatly that there where to many to count. He raised his want, while whipering to Luna: 'Remember. Happy thoughts.' She nodded and raised her want. He felt Lupin raise his wand beside him to.

He closed his eyes. Suddenly he saw Cedric flying trough the air, while the voice of Voldemort screamed in his ear._ Bow for the dead Harry, it might even be painless. I wouldn't know; i've never died before._ He tried to remain calm, trying to remember happy thinks. He saw Hermoini running towards him in his second year, he remembered Sirius. With the thought of Ron, Hermoini and Ginny in his head he screamed: 'EXPECTO PATRONUM'

It was as if a light bomb had suddenly exploted in the hallway. There were not four dementors, as he had expected, but more then ten. While he looked around he realised quickly that all the DA members were standing around Neville. They had had, just like him, only one thought. To save their friend. He looked at the patronuses, to many animals to recognize them all. He turned around when he heard somebody call out his name.

'Hermoini!' Hermoini hugged him, as she had done so many times before, yet it felt different somehow. Maybe it was because he knew she was now with Ron. He saw Ron approach them and let go of Hermoini. Ron smiled at him, as he always did. Yet he seemed a little sad. Harry felt a sudden pain in his heart when he remembered Fred.

Suddenly he saw Lupin running away. Tonks was standing there, confused. Harry, Ron and Hermoini ran after Lupin. When they arrived in the hallway before the portret of the fat lady, they all three realised why Lupin had run. He had run after wormtail, with only one thought in his head. Take revenge for his friends. For the marauders.

Yet he did nothing. Another person was already fighting with wormtail. With such rage, with such hate that they were all staring without saying a word. He saw all sorts of spells fly around, spells he had never heard of. Peter was not strong enough, an extremely strong spell hit him in the chest. Peter exploded in the air.

Harry looked right in the eye of the one person he had never thought he would see again. He tried to say something but he didn't knew what to say. What do you say to the father of the boy you saw die three years ago? He did not know that Amus was wondering a simular thing. What do you tell the boy who saw your son die? What do you tell him, knowing that he had probably suffered under that dead as much as he had?

They say that there is no stronger love that a mother's love. My mother proved that the day she died for me. They say that there is no greater bound than the one between a mother and her child. I couldn't tell you if that's true, since I have no mother. They say that you can't choose your family but you can choose your friends. Dursley's, need I say more?

They say many things, I couldn't tell you if they're true. But after wachting the duel that I just wached. I'm still surprised that there is something left of Peter. I know one thing for sure. There is not greater danger, no greater furie, than the father of a murdered son.


	2. Griffindor and Slytering

**Chapter 2: Griffindor and Slytherin**

Slytherin and Griffindor have never gotten along. Since the very begining they have been sworn enemies. Just like the two families in that story, Romeo and Juliet. The montegues and the capuleti's, I think. They didn't get along either. Ok, so they worked out their differences in the end, but only after Romeo and juliet died, right? Maybe that's what Griffindor and Slytherin need, the dead of two of their won. But then again Godric Griffindor and Salazar Slytherin died centuries ago and the feud went on without them. It even got worse over time.

I have to admit I followed the feud without thinking about it. I listened to all of the story's there were about slytherin, and never stopped to think they might be exagerating. And Malfoy didn't really help. From the moment I met him, in Diagon Ally, I knew I would never like him. The eleven-year-old boy who talked like he knew everything. The one who talked bad about muggle borns and Hufflepuf? When I saw him again on the train, where he insulted Ron, I knew we would become enemies. And every time I saw him again, my hatred towards him only grew. The boy who called Hermoini a mudblood? The boy who had accidentally attacked Katie and poissened Ron? How could I ever feel something but hate?

But ever since that night on the tower, the night Dumbledore died, I've started to look at him differently. I saw in him what nobody else, but Dumbledore I suppose, saw. Hope. There was hope for Malfoy. I didn't think of him much this year. And never would I have thought I'd end up saving his life. Maybe even worry about him. But as I stand here, looking at Malfoy who's sitting against a wall, a new emotion for him overpowers me. Pitty. He looked so helpless, so broken, that I felt I had no choice but to help him.

Slowely I walked towards him, he looked up when I was standing right in front of him. He only looked me in the eyes for a second, but it was enough. In his eyes I read two emotions towards me. Gratitude, for having safed his life (twice might I add) and fear. As if I was going to hurt him, or worse. 'Get up!' was all I said before I started to go up the stairs, without looking back. I knew he would follow me, he was probably to scared to dissobey.

In complete silence we walked trough hallways and up and down stairs. I said nothing, I had no idea what to say to him. Malfoy must not have known either, because he never spoke. In reality I had no idea where his parents could be, the only thing I knew for sure is that I couldn't leave him there. Not on his own. As we turned the corner I saw them inmeadiatly. I turned towards him to see if Malfoy had seen his father. But Malfoy was staring at the floor, to scared to look up.

I turned around again and screamed: 'Mr. Malfoy!' They turned around at the sound of my voice. A sudden memory finds his way up. The memory of my second year where I had ran after Mr. Malfoy to free Dobby...Dobby...Narcissa Malfoy's scream brought me back to reality. She ran towards her son, who turned to me, as if to ask for persmission to go to his mother. After I gave him a small nud he ran to her. I followed him, not knowing what to say and with the thought of Dobby still in my head.

When I stopped walking I found myself in front of Lucius Malfoy. I looked him in the eyes and said nothing. How could I ever forget that he had been one of the Death Eaters who had stood on that graveyard? That he had been in the department of mysteries the night Sirius died? Or that he was the wizard who had mistreated Dobby and probably wouldn't care that the house-elf was now dead. Was I to feel sorry for him? Understand him? Forgive him? I could never do that, not even if I tried. Wich I was not going to do.

I looked at Malfoy and read of his face what he could not tell me. His eyes were asking me what was going to happen next. And I just stood there, not knowing what to do next. The truth is, for a second, I believed he deserved the worse. Remembering everything he had done and, especially, how he had treated Dobby made me hesitate. But despite all of that I knew one thing for sure. That Draco Malfoy was many things, but he had never, nor would he ever, be a Death Eater. He didn't have it in him.

But how was I to tell him that? If I couldn't even really explain it to myself. So I did the only thing I thought of. I put out my hand. It was a way to tell him that all was...well not forgiven, and not even close to forgotten...but...Malfoy just stood there looking at me, then realizing what I was trying to say smiled and shook my hand. For just a second, but it was long enough. I smiled and took something out of my pocket, something that belonged to him. Without explaining anything I returened Draco Malfoy his wand. Then I turned to his mother and whispered a simple thank you. Without looking at his father I turned around and walked away.

Griffindor and Slytherin have always been enemies. They have hated each other for centuries, ever since Hogwarts was build. And yet, just now, when I shook hands with Malfoy, something changed. I'm sure he felt it to. Though we never spoke of it. For a second, just a second, it seemed as if that hatred dissapeared. And since that moment there has been some kind of understanding between us. Not friendship, it could never be friendship. To many things have happened. Griffindor and slyterin have hated each other for centuries. And we seemed to have changed that, just by shaking hands.


	3. sadness

**Chapter 3: Sadness**

The final battle has finally completely ended. Many people have just come to the realisation that Voldemort is really gone. Between the cheers and the happiness, tears and grieve shout. Many people lost their lives, trying to save the world. Not only tonight. And yet, it seems that most people want to forget it, even if it is for just one night. Remus and Tonks left ages ago, they went to check on Teddy. Most kids that have relatives outside have left to. Hermoini has just returned, with her parents.

And yet the sadness is there, even though most don't want to think of it. It is reflected in the dead bodies in the great hall. It is reflected in the tears of the Weasly family and every other family that lost somebody here. It is reflected in the memories, in the great hall itself. As you look at the table, were normally the teachers sit, you can see the chair in wich Dumbledore normally sits. As you look around, staring at the faces of the familes and students, you are stroken with the sadness for all those students that are not sitting here anymore.

Most of the Weasly's are all sitting together. Bill holding on to Fleur, while Charlie has his hand around Percy. Ginny is silently crying in her mother's arms. Mr Weasly is crying, Mrs. Weasly's pain however seems so bad that tears could never make it better. The only one who sits appart from the rest of the family is George. He is still sitting next to Fred's body, with Leo next to him. He refused to leave his brother there alone, wanting to be with him for as long as he could.

Hermoini sits down next to me as we look at the Weasly's. We're a part of that pain, a part of that grieve, and yet we felt that we had no right to sit there. Especially while I was feeling so guilty, if I had gone to Voldemort Fred might still be alive. And yet they did not blame me, they were glad I was alive. They treated me as if I was part of there family. And maybe over the years I had become part of it. If it was only in my heart.

Looking around my eyes catch the order, who are now all sitting together, but still missing so many persons. Mad-eye, a great auror, who had given his live in the very beginging, would always be remembered. And so many others, and yet they did not cry, at this moment the happiniess of so many in the great hall was bigger then the grieve.

Hours have passed since the battle ended, and we are still all sitting here. Lupin and Tonks have returned with little Teddy and Tonks mother. Looking at her reminds me of the fact that she lost her husband. So many lives are destroyed, so many families torn appart. It was the last act of evil that Voldemort did, because this time he would not return. And that fact alone seemed to calm most people down, make there pain a little less.

So many lives taken, Fred, Cho, Michael, and so many others. And yet we not only remember those that died this battle. The first life that was lost in the second war against Voldemort, is printed in my memory forver and might never truly dissapear. Those dreams might still return, if not so strong anymore. The dead of Cedric Diggory stroke us all hard, murdered at Hogwarts (not exactly but still) a place we had all concidered save.

How had dumbledore said it again? That Cedric Diggory was as we all knew exeptionally hard working, intricaclty fair minded and a fierce fierce friend. I had never been able to explain him better than Dumbledore had done that night. And he told us to remember Cedric, remember that when the time would come to make a choice between what was right and what was easy, we should remember a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, that we should remember what happened to him because he strayed across the path of lord Voldemort. And that time came didn't it, and we all made our choice.

And then there had been Sirius, although I'm not sure how many people in this room had actually been affacted by his dead. And I thought of Sirius, my father's best friend, my godfather. The man who had spent 12 years locked up in azkaban, had escaped, attempted to kill Peter and gotten away on a stolen hippogriff. How that was supposed to make him look more inocent, I have no idea. I thought of the man who had risked everyting for me and who was now dead.

I thought of Dumbledore, who had died on this very grounds. I thought of Mad-eye Moody, of Tonks father. Of Fred and of everybody else who had lost their lifes. Fred so kind, so funny and yet the light seemed to have dissapeared. But not completely, Fred's light was still visible in George, even though it wasn't so bright anymore. And I remebered Dobby, the house-elf who had ignored his masters to save me. The house-elf I had fried, and had always helped me since. Up until the last time.

Looking around I spotted Krum and a couple of Durmstrung students. I spotted Madamme Malumeur and severel beauxbatons students. And again I remembered Dumbledore's words.

'in the light of Voldemorts return we are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are devided. We can fight him only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. ' And we had listened to him, and now we all sat here. Hufflepuff, Griffindor, Ravenclaw, A few slyterins, durmstrung, beauxbatons, teachers, parents, order members, ministery people, all trough each ohter. Sitting wherever we wanted to.

Looking around I also realise that there are different types of grieve. There are those that hide from their pain, those that crumble in other's arms. There are those who cry silently alone, those who want to be alone and those who want people around them. And slowely I realise, that the wounds would heal, hogwarts would be rebuilt, and over time even the sadness would sligtly dissapear. But the scars of what happened here tonight, never would. And those that died here tonight, or over the years we have fought Voldemort will never be forgotten. Never.


	4. christmass

Snow falls from the skies and on the already white floor. It is christmass, a year after the hogwarts battle. And yet it all still seems the same. As if trough the door Fred would still walk. As if Dobby could apparate anny second now. But they would not. It was still hard for most people, and yet somehow they had learned to move on.

But perhaps today, would be the most difficult day. Because today it was christmass, a day you normally spent with your family and friends. And they still did, but they missed so many people. The weasly's all sat around the table, wearing the sweater mrs. Weasly made for them every year. Harry sat next to Hermoini at the other side of the table. Lupin, Tonks, Teddy, Tonk's mother and Hagrid all sat around the table to. Fleur came out of nowhere and put the foot on the table. ANd then there was silence.

Silence as the Weasly's remembered the christmasses they had spent with Fred. While Lupin remembered the christmasses with the marauders. Tonks and her mother remembered Ted. Harry spent the silence remembering the one christmass he had spent with Sirius. The many christmasses he had spent with the Weasly's. The horible gifts that Dobby sent to him every year. It was hard to imagine that he would miss them.

It was George who spoke first telling them all stories about Fred. Then Hermoini took over, tellking stories about her muggle christmasses. Mr. Weasly found them very interesting. Remus was still looking at Harry. He knew that he had no happy memories. The Dursley's were not exactly the people to expect to give Harry happy memories.

He looked at him remembering Harry's first christmass. He smiled. 'What about you, Remus?' Tonks voice brought him back to reality. 'What, srr?' 'You have anny funny christmass memories?' 'Oh. Well there is the time Sirius went benji jumping.' He saw Harry move when he mentioned Sirius. It was Hermoini who asked: 'Benji Jumping.' Lupin looked at her as he started to talk.

'It was in our last year. Lilly was just going out with James. Almost everybody had gone home for christmass, but we were still there. But Peter went home. Anyway Lilly had borrowed James some kind of magazine, a muggle magazine, and Sirius was reading an article in it. Anyway it was three in the morning, and I saw James and Sirius get out of bed. It was not really that weird, they did it all the time. Sometimes I went with them, but usually I jus let them go. But that night my atention was cought when Sirius got a robe out of his trunk. Anyway I asked them what they were going to do and James answered: 'I don't have time to explain, look at page 33 in the magazine. You'll understand.' So I grabbed the magazine and started to read. It was a article about benji jumping and inmediatly I understood what they were up to. But I also read they needed and elastic robe, maybe they thought it would work with a normal one to, I don't know. Anyway I ran behind them and found them in the astronomy tower. I just arrived to see Sirius jump, anyway the tower was big enough and the robe was shorter so it might have worked. But...'

He hesitated. Harry asked: 'what happened?' 'Well it would probably have worked, if Sirius had used his brains and had tied up the end of the robe to something in the tower. Anyway needless to say we spent the holidays in detention.' The entier table started to laugh, as they all saw Sirius jumping of the tower in their minds. Hermoini, who realised why he was telling this story, asked if he knew the story of Harry's first Christmass.

Lupin looked at Harry as remembering that day. 'I believe it's the day Sirius lost you in the snow.' Everyone started to laugh again. 'It's just, James and Lilly had, for a reason I still don't understand, left you in the care of Sirius. For a couple of hours, anyway he had taken you to the park and had put you down. Suddenly I got a message from him, that he needed help inmeaditly, because he had managed to lose you in the snow.' 'So how did you find me?' 'We didn't. Dumbledore did. God, you should've seen the look on Sirius face. It was hilarious.'

Harry laughed. He might not remember that night, but now at least he had some kind of memory of that one year. He just wished he had more. He looked around, at the family he had made. Because everyone that was sitting at this table was his family now. And so it is that christmass passed and new year's eve came. And that night was diferent that all the ohter years. Because it marked the begining of the first year without Lord Voldemort. It marked the begining of the first year without all those that had died. It marked the begining of a new area.


	5. Graves

**chapter 5: graves**

It is now exactly a year after the battle of hogwarts, and the grieve seems to have hit most people again. Now we are all standing on the cementery, the cementery the new minestery had build. A cementery to honor those who lost their lives in the battle of hogwarts. In the battle against Voldemort. And yet not everyone is here. Many people gave their live in the battle against Voldemort, and are not burried here. Mad-Eye Moodey, for example, who's body had never been found. The only resting place he had was the one where I buried his eye.

Then there is Dobby, who is burried at the house where Bill and Fleur live. And lets not forget all of those that died years ago. Cedric Diggory, lied on anther cementery. Sirius didn't even have a grave, since he fell trough the veil there had been no body left to bury. But many people do lie here on the cementery. Most people have visited this cementery a lot in the past year. But most people come today.

The Weasly's all stand around Fred's grave. Hermoini and I stood there to, but we moved an hour ago. It seemed as if we were intruding in their grieve. Of the people that are buried here, I know most. Some were order or ministery members, other's were teachers. Some were strangers, some were my friends. But from the people that I cared about, the ones that I cried most for, only one is buried here. And that is Fred. All the other's are either buried somewhere else or not at all.

I feel Hermoini's hand in mine, as though she can read my mind. She knows what I'm thinking, she knows where I'm going. Or at least she thinks she does. I see her walk to Ron, to tell him she's coming with me, so that I don't have to go alone. I turn around, I know exactly where I'm going. At the entrance of the cementery I wait for her. When she arrives I start to walk again, the first grave I want to see is not that far.

I've never seen his grave, though I have thought much about visiting it. I don't know why I never did. Maybe it was fear, fear of what people would say. Fear of looking at his grave and remembering. Fear. Or maybe it just was never the right time. But now it is, after four years, it seems that the right time has finally come. Hermoini and I stop at a single grave, where nobody stands. I look at the stone and sigh.

_Cedric Diggory_

A name, a memory. That is all that's left of a human life. It seems so weird that after everything that happened, a name and a stone is all that's left of them. I close my eyes, trying not to think about that tragic night. And yet I can't help myself, I see him die again, and I know. I will never forget what happened that night, it will probably haunt me forever. Slowely I turn around and walk away. There's nothing here.

I feel Hermoin's hand in mine as we apparate to where we're going next. I didn't tell her where I wanted to go, and yet she knew. We're standing in the middle of what seemed like thousand of flowers. And there somewhere we find the grave I digged a couple of months ago.

_Here lies Dobby, a free elf_

I look at Dobby's grave and I feel a sudden pain hit my heart. I know why. People might find it weird, but I had never looked at Dobby as a house-elf. I had never concidered him a servent and had never treated him like one. Everything he had done for me, I had never thought of it as orders, but as favours. I had never looked at him as a house-elf, I had always concidered and treated him like my friend.

And here he lied, my friend, who had died giving his life for me. I close my eyes remembering the elf that had jumped on my bed at privit drive once, the elf that had attempted to save my life by sending that bludger after me. The elf that I had fried. The one who had given me those ugly socks, that now lie somewhere on the boddem of my trunk. The one who had broken into Snape's office for me, the one who had followed Draco. The one who had come to save me at the Malfoy mansion.

Slowely I take my wand and raise it, not to conjure more flowers but to put socks on his grave. Dobby had loved clothes, but of all the clothes he had loved socks the most. Hermoini smiles, as she also remembers Dobby. Slowely she takes my hand, already knowing where we going next.

And now we are standing here. Godrics Hollow. Together just the two of us, ready to go and visit my parent's grave. Just like last year. We walk into the cementery and go inmeadiatly to their graves. And there we find that we are not alone. Remus and Tonks and little Teddy are already there. Remus looks up when he sees us approaching and points at the grave. Something had changed, and as I read what stood now on the stone I smiled.

_james potter, born 27 march 1960_, _died 31 October 1981_

_Lilly Potter, born 30 January 1960, died 31 October 1981_

_Sirius Black, born 1960 died June 1995_

_The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death._

And there it was finally, a place for Sirius to rest. Even though his body wasn't there, he belonged here. Next to his best friend. Hermoni raises her wand again, just like last year, and a shower of white flowers hit the grave. She puts her hand around me and I put my arm around her. And there we stand, just like a year ago.

And time went on, years passed and people moved on. A new time has begun, one without fear, one with a lot of hope. George's store is still at Diagon Ally, and both Angelina and Leo help run it. The Weasly family still conciders me part of their own and has never blamed me for anything. And though everyone that has lost somebody still feels that pain, life goes on. And seasons will come and go, and years will pass. And we will live.

We will live for Fred Weasly, who died just like he went trough life, joking. We will live for Albus Dumbledore, who deserves all our respect. We will live for Sirius Black, a man who had been punished although being inocent, and had done everything to protect me. We will live for James and Lilly Potter, who gave their lifes so that I could stand here tonight. We will live for Dobby, the free house-elf. We will live for Cedric Digorry, kind, good-minded, brave and a fierce fierce friend. We will live for Mad-eye moody, with his words still in our heads. Constant Vigilance! We will live for all of the DA members that died that night. We will live for the order members.

And as I said time will go on. And life continues, we will never forget them. We will always remember, but with time the pain will become less. And we will live for them, we will go on. We own them that much. And years will pass, and the grieve will dissapear. And the pain might eventually to. But we all know one thing, what happened at Hogwarts and in the war against Voldemort will never be forgotten.

Time will go on. Pain will become less. But the scars will never dissapear. Never.


End file.
